Close on the heels of his arrest and subsequent judicial remand till April 2 by the Baleswar Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate on Saturday, former law Minister Raghunath Mohanty, facing charges of dowry torture on his daughter-in-law, was removed from the post of vice president of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sacked Mohanty on Saturday who is an MlA from Basta from the post of vice president of the party, a Press communiqué of the party said on Friday afternoon.

Patnaik had also indicated the media persons about the removal of Mohanty after his arrest. "That matter will be looked into closely. But you must have heard that he and his wife were arrested today. So the law will take its course," Patnaik asserted. Turn to Senior BJP leader Biswa Bhushaan Harichandan in his reaction was skeptical that Mohanty and his family members would get any punishment. Though Mohanty was finally arrested after fifteen days of going underground, the ruling party and the Government would try to bail him out resorting to a clandestine route, he said, adding “It is unlikely that law would take its course.”

However, senior BJD leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das dubbed the apprehension of the opposition as politically motivated. “The arrest of the ex-Minister amply proves that law has taken its course and the intention of the Government is crystal clear,” Das said, asserting that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would not spare anybody whether he is a Minister and any influential persons, including leader of the ruling party or Opposition.